Article of bedding



Sept. 3, 1957 J. A. FORD ARTICLE OF BEDDING Filed Oct. 5. 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 3, 1957 .1. A. FORD ARTICLE OF BEDDING 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5. 1954 W 27 .7714 a" z;

if .57 X0 Z4 United StatesPatent 9 ARTICLE OF BEDDING Jesse AlexanderFord, Basking Ridge, N. J., assignor to Pacific Mills, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 5, 1954, Serial No.460,435

Claims. (Cl. 5334) This invention relates to articles of bedding andmore specifically to such articles, particularly bed sheets, that areadapted to be placed on a mattress and form a snug retaining fittherewith.

While this invention is applicable to various items of bedding, such asmattress pads and mattress protectors, it is especially useful inrespect to bed sheets of the type commonly known as fitted or .pocketedbottom sheets. Accordingly, the ensuing discussion and detaileddescription are directed to bed sheets of this type.

Conventional fitted bed sheets are usually provided with end pockets forreceiving corresponding ends of a mattress and in general, may beapplied to or withdrawn from small and relatively flexible mattresseswithout much difficulty. On the other hand, considerable effort isfrequently required in placing sheets of this type on, or removing thesame from, larger and more rigid mattresses. While such a sheet may bereadily placed on one end of the mattress, the difficulty arises inplacing or removing the same on and from the other end of the mattress.Large mattresses, such as double bed mattresses and stiff mattresses ofthe orthopedic type, due to their size or construction, usually presenta problem to the person handling the sheet. Considerable tugging isusually required. This creates stresses in the material of the sheetoftentimes causing the same to tear. The article of bedding of thisinvention eliminates the difficulties outlined above and provides afitted bed sheet or related article of bedding that is adapted to beeasily and quickly placed on or removed from a mattress and when inposition on the mattress, to form a snug fit therewith.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a bed sheet or relatedarticle of bedding of improved design and construction whereby it may beeasily and quickly fitted onto or removed from a mattress as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fitted bed sheet whichhas its parts so configured and arranged that it may be readily appliedto or removed from vari ous types and sizes of mattresses, includinglarge relatively stiff mattresses in the category of orthopedicmattresses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fitted or pocketedbottom bed sheet possessing requisite strength to withstand repeatedstresses to which it may normally be subjected in the course of beingplaced on or removed from a mattress and to withstand continuingstresses to which it is subjected during use.

The invention has for a still further object a provision of a fittedarticle of bedding that is sturdy in construction, reasonable inmanufacturing cost and capable of performing its intended functions in asatisfactory and troublefree manner.

The foregoing objects, as well as' other objects, together with theadvantages of this invention, will be readily understood by personsskilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the annexed drawings that respectivelydescribe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fitted bed sheet made in accordancewith this invention and applied to a mattress, both the sheet and themattress being inverted;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, parts of the mattress being omittedfor better illustration of certain parts of the sheet, and parts of thesheet in one corner being shown in a different relative position fromthat shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary inside view of one corner of the sheetshown in Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating in detail a strap means andassociated parts at such corner of the sheet;

Fig. 4 is a view in enlargement taken along line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view taken along 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view taken along line 6--6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a one-piece blank from which the sheet shown in the otherviews is made.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, a bed bottom sheetconstructed in accordance with this invention is generally indicated bynumeral 10 and, as best shown in Fig. l, is adapted to be placed on amattress M and form a snug fit therewith. The sheet is formed from ablank B (Fig. 7) that is made from a substantially rectangular piece ofa suitable thin, flexible material, such as cotton fabric or the like,which is cut out at each of its four corners to obtain correspondingidentical notches 11. Each notch is defined by a pair of blank edges 12that intersect at a point 13. One edge of each notch extends fromcorresponding point 13 to a side edge 14 of the blank while the otheredge of that notch extends from point 13 to an end edge 15 of the blank.Each notch defining edge 12 consists of an inner rectilinear portion 16,an outer rectilinear portion 17 and an intermediate arcuate convexportion 18. Intersecting portions 16 of each notch form an acute angle athat is preferably slightly less than The body of the sheet, that is theportion thereof which overlies the top of the mattress when in use, isidentified by numeral 20. As is shown in Fig. 7, body part 20 consistsof the portion of the blank defined by a pair of side fold lines 21 anda pair of end fold lines 22 which are respectively parallel to sideedges 14 and end edges 15. Fold lines 21 and 22 meet with correspondingintersection points 13 of notch edges 12 as shown. Between each sideedge 14 and fold line 21 and parallel thereto is a fold line 23.Similarly there is a fold line 24 between and parallel to each end edge15 and fold line 22. Fold lines 23 and 24 extend between the mergingjunctures of portions 17 and 18 of corresponding notch edges 12.

The parts of blank B between fold lines 21 and 23 constitute side panels25 of the sheet and, as shown in Fig. 1, are adapted to overlie thesides of the mattress. The parts of the blank between fold lines 22 and24 constitute end panels 26 which overlie the ends of the mattress. Theparts of the blank between fold lines 23 and side edges 14- constituteside bottom panels or extensions 27 which underlie the side portions ofthe mattress while the parts between fold lines 24 and end edges 15constitute end bottom panels or extensions 28 which underlie the endportions of the mattress.

The parts of the blank are adapted to be brought together and joined ina manner to obtain sheet 10. The corners of the sheet are indicated byreference characters C1, C2, C3 and C4 in Figs. 1 and 2. Corners C1, C2and C3 are preferably identical and are formed by bringing the marginalportions of the blank that define corresponding notches 11 together inabutting relation with corresponding edges 12 in substantial alignment.These marginal portions are provided with corresponding coextensivereinforcing binding members such as strips of fabric tape (Figs. 2.and=4.) .and are joined together-and to the binding members by acorresponding row of-stitches 31. Each binding member 30 is folded, asindicated at 32 and 33 in Fig. 4, to obtain a :pairof outer :plies 34and a pair of inner plies 35 which bear against-abutting marginalportions of the blank which form a corresponding notch. As is also showninFig. '4, stitches 31 extend through all plies of the binding memberand through the portions of the blank positioned between the innerplies.

A reinforcing binding member 36' is provided along the end edge of thesheet that includes corners C1 and .C2 and extends part way along-eachside edge "14. This binding member is secured to the sheet fabric by :a:roW of stitches 37. I

Corner .C4 is made by bringing the marginal portions of correspondingedge parts 16 and 18 together {and providing the same with a coextensivebinding member 38 -which is maintained in position by a row of stitches39 (Fig. 3). A further binding member 40 is secured by stitches 41 tomend of binding member 38 and to the marginal portions of the blank thatdefined edge parts 17 of the notch at that corner. The various bindingmembers referred to above maybe made of the same or similar strips of"fabric tapes or other suitable flexible material.

A strap 42 which also may be made of the same material as the variousbinding members, earlier described, is secured to the bottom edge of theblank adjacent corner C4 by stitches 43. This strap extends part wayalong vside edge 14 immediately adjacent corner C3 and includes a'freeend part 44. Asimilar strap 45 is secured to the other side edge of theblank and to :an end of binding member 40 by means of stitches 46. Strap45 also has a free end part 47.

The completed sheet, shown in Fig. 2, defines end pockets P1 and P2 thatare adapted to receive corresponding ends of the mattress.

In applying sheet 10 to mattress M, the end of the sheet containingcorners C1 and C2 is placed on the mattress so that pocket P1 is broughtinto registry with an end of the mattress. The remainder of the sheet isnext pulled down over the top of the mattress .and the portion of pocketP2 at corner C3 is brought into registry with the corresponding cornerof the mattress. With strap and parts 44'and 47 disconnected as shown inFig. 2, corner C4 may be readily moved over the corresponding corner ofthe mattress after which strap parts 44 and 47 are knotted and tied toform a how 48 thereby'completing the fitting of the sheet to themattress as shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that binding member 40 andstrap parts 44 and 47 are positioned beneath the mattress and are -outof view.

To remove the sheet from the mattress, strap parts 44 and 47 are firstdisconnected. Corners C4 and C3 are then successively removed from themattress thereby freeing pocket P2, after which corners C1 and C2 areremoved, completing removal of the sheet.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope ofthe subjoined claims.

-I claim:

1. An article of bedding formed from a blank that is made from asubstantially rectangular piece of flexible material which is cut out ateach of its four corners to obtain corresponding notches, the marginalportions of the blank defining each of three of the notches being"joined together, the fourth notch being defined by a pair of edges ofthe blank, each of said edges comprising a first end part and second endpart, said first end parts intersecting, the marginal portions of the'blank'forming the parts of said edges other than said second end partsbeing joined together, a pair of flexible members secured to marginalportions of the blank adjacent said second end parts of said edges, eachof said members including a free end part that extends beyond the partsof the blank that define the fourth notch, .said free end parts beingadapted to be detachably connected.

2. An article of bedding formed from a blank that is made from asubstantially rectangular piece of flexible material which is cut out ateach .of its four .corners to obtain corresponding notches, the marginal.portions of the blank defining each of three of the notches beingjoined together, .theifourth notch being defined by :a pair of edges ofthe blank, each of said edges comprising a first end part and second endpart, said first end parts intersecting and forming an acute angle, themarginal portions of the blank forming the parts of said edges otherthan said second end parts being joined together, a .pair of flexibletie members secured to marginal portions of the blank adjacent saidsecond end parts of said edges, each of said members including a 'freeend part that extends beyond the partsof the blank that define thefourth notch, said free end parts being adapted to be detachablyconnected.

*3. Anarticle of bedding formed from a blank that is made from asubstantially rectangular piece of flexible material which is cut out ateach of its 'four corners to obtain corresponding notches, the marginalportions of the blank defining each of three of the notches being joinedtogether,'-the Ifourth notch being defined by a pair of edges of theblank, -each of said edges comprising a rectilinear first end part, arectilinear second end part and a convex arcuate part intermediate andmerging with the 'endparts, said first end parts intersecting, themarginal portions of the blank forming only said first end parts andsaid intermediate parts of said edges being joined together, 'a pair ofmembers secured to marginal portions of the blank adjacent said secondend parts of said edges, said members being adapted to be detachablyconnected.

4. An article ofbedding formed from a blank that is made from asubstantially rectangular piece of flexible material which is cut out ateach of its four corners to obtain corresponding notches, the marginalportions of the blank defining each of three of the notches being joinedtogether, the fourth notch being defined by a pair of edges of theblank, each of said edges comprising a first end part, a second end'part and an arcuate part intermediate and merging with the end parts,said first end parts intersecting, .the marginal portions of the blankforming only said first end parts and said intermediate parts of said:edges being joined together, a reinforcing strip of flexiblematerialsecured to the marginal portions of the blank that form saidsecond end parts of said edges, a pair 'of flexible tie members securedto and extending beyond marginal portions of the blank adjacent saidsecond end parts 'of said edges, said members being adapted to be'tiedtogether.

5. An article of bedding formed from a blank that is made from asubstantially rectangular piece of flexible material whichyis cut out ateach of its four corners to obtain corresponding notches, the marginalportions of the blank defining each of three of the notches being joinedtogether, the fourth notch being defined by a pair of edges of theblank, each of said edges comprising a first end part, a second end partand an arcuate part intermediate and merging with the end parts, saidfirst end parts intersecting, the marginal portions of the blank formingonly said first end parts and said intermediate parts of said edgesbeing joined together, a first reinforc" ing strip of flexible materialsecured to and coextensive with said joined marginal portions of theblank, a second reinforcing strip of flexible material secured to thefirst reinforcing strip and to-the marginal portions of the blankthatform said second end parts of said edges, apair 5 of flexible tiemembers secured to and extending beyond marginal portions of the blankadjacent said second end parts of said edges, said members being adaptedto be tied together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS738,674 Grattan Sept. 8, 1903

